NEWS IN BRIEF

THE European Commission has cleared the Belgian government’s 125 million euro emergency bridging loan for stricken national carrier, Sabena. Loyola de Palacio, the EU transport commissioner, said the loan complied with EU rules, but cautioned that further aid for restructuring would not be allowed. No-frills airline Ryanair described the Sabena bail-out as a “hopeless waste of money”.

European Voice

10/17/01, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 7:12 AM CET

BELGIAN Public Enterprise Minister Rik Daems earlier denied reports that five publicly-owned companies, including the post office and national railways, were in talks on a rescue package.

EUROPEAN airports said a decision by EU transport ministers to continue guaranteeing their third-party war risk insurance for another month had lifted the threat of airlines shutting down.

HIGH Representative Javier Solana and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson were due to visit the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia today (18 October) in a bid to re-invigorate the faltering peace process talks between the government and ethnic Albanian rebels.

JAVIER Solana and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten condemed the assassination of Israeli Cabinet Minister Rehavam Zeevi by Palestinian gunmen. “Every effort should be made to bring to justice the perpetrators of this crime,” said Solana.

The Barka Foundation for Mutual Help, were this week honoured in the 2001 Solidar Silver Rose Awards. The awards were presented by MEP Glenys Kinnock in recognition of the winners’ achievements towards creating a fairer society.

THE European Central Bank’s chief economist Ottmar Issing this week said that even during emergencies, central banks must continue to focus on price stability and warned against jumping to conclusions about the bank’s future policy, following the 11 September terrorist strikes. He was responding to critics’ claims that the ECB should have cut its interest rates more aggressively.